Iran FM Says US ‘Action Group’ Will Fail to Overthrow Iran

Says New Action Group Aims to Repeat 1953 Coup

Speaking on the 65th anniversary of the 1953 CIA coup against Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif accused the newly established Iran Action Group of being an attempt by the US to repeat the coup, but that it will fail.

Iranian FM Mohammed Javad Zarif

The State Department announced the establishment of the Iran Action Group last week, with Brian Hook appointed to lead it as a “Special Representative for Iran.” Exactly what the group will be doing isn’t entirely clear.

The State Department did try to present Hook’s responsibility as coordinating all anti-Iran activities within the department, however, which suggests that it’s reasonable for Iran to conclude the goal is regime change, despite some Trump Administration officials denying that they are seeking regime change.

Zarif says the US attempts at regime change will come through “pressure, misinformation and demagoguery.” The US has been fairly open about spreading misinformation against Iran in trying to organize protests against the government, and in recent weeks has presented those protests as proof the Iranian government needs to make radical changes.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.